Closure fastening device



Feb. 12, 1952 w. DZUS 2,585,233

CLOSURE FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 7, m4?

IN V EN TOR.

Quiz/Mm 14 TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED Y S ATE-s PATENTOFFICE CLOSURE FASTENING DEVICE .William Dzus, West Islip, N. Y.Application March 7, 1947, Serial No. 733,018

j v 2 Claims. 1 This invention relates to an improved fastening deviceand has particular relation to a fastening device to be used forreleasably securin caps, covers, panels and the like. 1

It is an object of: the .above invention to provide an improvedfastening device ,of the above character which is relatively simple andinexpenslve, but nevertheless sturdy in construction'and which can bereadily installed and can be easily operated. r

When used for securing or attaching'a cover, the cover is flrmly held inposition against accidental displacement when closed, but cannevertlieless be readily opened by a simple turning operation of thefastener. A cover assembly embodying the fastener can be made flush withthe surface to which it is applied, and the operable parts of thefastener are protected against damage. when the cover is closed.

A fuller understanding of the invention and of its objects can beobtained from the accompany ing drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cover assembly having a fastenerembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectional view with the bolt and bolt supportingportion shown in full lines and illustrating the fastener as in lockedposition;

Fig. .3 is a partially sectional view showing the fastening membersinterengaged but unlocked;

Fig.4 is a bottom plan view of the cover showingthe fastening memberapplied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the collar and flange portion ofthe cover assembly havin the keeper slots formed therein;

Fig. 6 is a partially sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 clearlyshowing one of the keeper slots;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a stud serving as the bolt supportingportion;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view in elevation of a cover assembly having amodified type of fastening device; and j Figure 9 is a cross sectionalview in the direction ofthe arrows on the line 9--9 of Figure 8.

In the accompanying drawing my invention is illustrated as embodied in afastening device used in a cover or cap assembly. However, it should beunderstood that it may be used for. securing other removable parts,panels and members in position.

The particular cover assembly shown is suitable for use in connectionwith the gas tanks, water tanks and other receptacles on boats andconsists of a deck plate or flange l0 havinga de pending neck II whichis internally threaded at its lower portion as shown at l2. The deviceis adapted to be inserted or imbedded in a deck with the flange inresting on or countersunk therein. The collar is connected by a threadedcoupling 'or connector to the tank or other receptacle (not shown).

The removable cover lt covers the central 2 opening; is preferablyflushed with the surface of the. flange l0; and restsupon an internalshoulder as shown. The cover is provided with a central opening'and arecess or dimple surrounding the opening.

My improved fastening device consists of. a pair of interengageablefastening members one of which is associated with the cover and theother of which is associated with the collar and flange. The fasteningmember associated with the cover consists of a bolt portion [4 having acentral opening which straddles abolt supporting portion in the form ofstud [5. The stud I5 is formed with a head having a kerf or screw driverslot and a depending shank which is preferably tubular at its lower endand is provided with oppositely disposed spiral cam slots IS extendingupwardly adjacent the lower end and terminating in looking shoulders.

The stud is generally similar to that in my Patent No. 1,955,740,granted on April 24, 1934, with the exception that the lower end of theslots are closed by means ofa rim or ring I! extending around the lowerend of the stud as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and '7. The rim or ringl'lmay be formed integrally with the stud or may be suitably securedthereto.

The bolt portion I4 is in the form of a crossarm slightly enlarged atits central portion so as to accommodate the aperture surrounding thestud and at its opposite end it is formed withdepending flange l8.

Between the bolt portion and the bolt supporting portion is a resilientmember in the form "of spring I 9 made of suitable resilient materialsuch as spring wire. At its two ends the spring is fixedly supported inopenings formed in the flanges I8. The spring extends inwardly from itstwo ends andv is formed with partial coils20 each approximately 270 inlength which extend downwardly in helical form and are integrallyconnected by a, cross-bar portion 2| as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. v

The cross-bar 2| extends through the spiral slot 16 in the stud or boltsupporting portion [5. A spacing spring 22 is provided between the boltportion I 4 and the under surface of cover I 3. Spring 22 is lighter andhas substantially less tension than spring I9andserve merely to normallyspace the bolt portion from the under surface of the cover when thedevice is in unlocked position as shown .inFig. 3.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention the other fastening memberforms an integral part of the collar and flange and consists of a keeperportion in the form of a pair of keeper slots 23 of similar constructionand arranged on opposite sides of the interior of the collar immediatelybelow the flange. Also, each of the keeper slots is formed with anentrance way 24 having an angularly disposed cam surface 25 adjacentpneend or the slot. and. anabutment or stop 26 adjacent the other end.The width of the slots 23 is slightly greater than the height of flangest8 and the diameter between the side walls of the opposite slots issu'fli'cient to freely accommodate the bolt l4 so that the opposite,ends of the bolt may be readily introduced through the entrance way 24and then the bolt rotated until it engages the abutment or stops 26.

The shoulder or wall 21 at the top of the slots; overlaps the oppositeends of the bolt portion and prevents axial separation of the members.

In assembling the parts the keeper portions are applied to or formed inthe collar and flange member as shown. Stud I5 is inserted through theaperture in cap l3 and may have a suitable cushioning gasket or washerbeneath the head thereof as shown. Thereafter, spring 22 and boltportion M are assembled around the stud and spring I9 is applied theretoand the two ends anchored in the apertures of flanges i8.

When the cover is in unlocked position, crossbar Zl of the spring restsin the lower portion of the slots and spring 22 holds the bolt H8 inspaced relation from" cover l3. To close the cover it is applied to theaperture in the deck plate so that opposite ends of the bolt portion arein registry with the entrance Ways 24 of keeper slots 23.

Cam surface 25 helps to feed the ends of the bolt portioninto the keeperslot. Since spring 22 serves to hold the bolt portion in spaced rel ationship, adequate clearance is provided for the shoulder member 21 at thetop of the keeper slot. Accordingly, one fastening member may be rotatedwith respect to the other and the bolt portion will be freelyinterengageablewith and shiftable in the keeper slot until it engagesthe stops 26.

In the present embodiment, the operation of closing the ca isaccomplished by rotating the stud in a clockwise direction with a screwdriver and the rotation of the stud is transmitted through spring l9 tobolt portion l4. After the two ends of the bolt engage the stops, thedevice is locked in closed position by further rotation of the studmember. Since the ends of the bolt are in engagement with the stops, thebolt is held in stationary position, with the result that upon furtherrotation of the stud, the cross-bar of the spring is drawn upwardlycompressing the spring coils until the cross-bar is locked behind thelooking shoulders of the slots l6. The spring is then under compressionwith the result that bolt portion [4 is forced upwardly to thepositionshow'n in Fig. 2 into stressed engagement with the upper wall ofthe slot. The stressed engagement is sufficient to prevent accidentalrotation or displacement of the parts and the cover is accordinglylocked in closedposition. I

To release the cover, stud I5 is rotated in a counter clockwisedirection. The stressed engagement between bolt portion l4 and the upperwall of the slots holds the bolt portion is stationary position untilthe cross-bar of the spring I9 is released from behind the lockingshoulder and again assumes the position shown in Fig. 3. Furtheirotationof the stud in a counter clockwise rotates the bolt portion until theends thereof engage the cam surfaces 25 and are withdrawn throughentrance ways 24.

The entire operation of closing and locking, or of unlocking and openingthe cover requires less than a quarter turn of the stud I5.

In Fig. 8 I have'shown a modified forth-"of my device in which the cover13 and the fastening member applied thereto is similar to that shown inthe first form of my invention. However, the deck plate I0 and collar IIhave a modified form of keeper slot 28 having locking notches orrecesses 29 in the upper wall thereof adjacent the stops or abutments.The purpose of the locking notches or recesses 29 is to provideafiirmative or positive interlocking between the bolt portion and thekeeper portion when the bolt portion is drawn upwardly into lockedposition.

In Fig. 8 the device i shown in locked position and the opposite ends ofthe bolt portion are drawn up into the locking notches and are held bypositive means against rotation in either direction. a

In all other respects, the construction and the operation are similar tothat shown in the first form of my invention.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improvedfastening device of relatively simple, economical, yet sturdyconstruction, which may be readily installed and is easy to operate. Itwill also be seen that the device is particularly suitable for use inconnection with removable caps, covers or panels. Furthermore, thedevice may be embodied in an assembly which is flush with a deck surfaceand in which the operable parts are fully covered and protected whilemuse.

Modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodimentsof the invention without departing from the invention as set forth inthe accompanying claims.

I claim:

-1.'A closure assembly comprising: a tubular support formed with akeeper slot in the interior circumference thereof having an entrance wayat one end and a positive stop'adjacent theother end; a coverco-operable to releasably engage the tubular support so as to close thesame and formed with a central aperture; a locking bar associated withthe cover and being engageable with the keeper slot and being freelyshiftable from the entrance way to the positive stop; a rotatable studmember formed with a spiral cam slot having a locking shoulder andextendin through the aperture in the cover; and a spring memberconnected to the locking bar and having a portion extending through thespiral cam slot in the stud so that rotation of the stud causes shiftingof the locking bar and whereby the looking bar is forced into stressedengagement with the keeper slot when said stud is rotated after thelocking bar engages the positive stop.

2. A closure assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the keeper slotis formed withv a locking recess adjacent the positive stop and thelocking bar engages into the locking recess when the stud is furtherrotated after the locking bar engages the positive stop.

) WILLIAM Dzus.

REFERENCES CITED l' The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 1,955,740 Dzus Apr. 24, 19342,233,242 Burke Feb. 25,. 1941 2,360,274 Rapp Oct. 10, 1944 2,389,344,Constance Nov. 20, 1945 2,403,247 Sullivan Ju1y'2 ,'1946

